We have a real-world situation demonstrating that more people get saved when their pets come with them. You can rail against the reality of domestic animal keeping all you like, but mathematics favors compromise.

Your argument implies that these pet owners don't pay taxes, or that they don't deserve to have their interests served by the institutions they're paying into.

Based on a poll conducted by the Fritz Institute, 44% of people did not evacuate for Katrina because they refused to leave their pets behind. In 2006, the Louisiana SPCA successfully lobbied for the passage of Senate Bill 607, better known as the “Pet Evacuation Bill.” Now, governments on all levels are required to include companion animals in their evacuation plans.

Clearly a voting majority of state reps were willing to side with these people. That's good democracy.

You say that like this was just a handful of crazies. The reality is that there are significant numbers of people who firmly believe that the non-human animals in their households are family with rights. Government needs to bend to suit that cultural belief, not force people to change their hearts under the guise that it is delusional to love and protect another creature.

Emergency workers won't have to negotiate with anyone if they already have instructions to rescue certain animals.

obsessed pet owner

If you think someone trying to save their dog's life is "obsessed", then you obviously fail to understand how and why these animals become family. They're not furniture; they are living, breathing, thinking creatures, and anyone who has been brought up with them can tell you they have as much soul as any human.

If the Smiths refuse to board an evacuation boat without their dog, the simplest option is to just let the dog aboard. The other options are to use physical force, or to let the Smiths die, neither of which are favorable, efficient, humane, good, etc.

Reminds me of the computer teacher who forbid us to look at our keyboards while typing, or to use non-conventional typing methods. She was so serious about this that she taped printer paper over our hands so that we couldn't see which keys we were hitting.

She taught me nothing. I was already a speedy typist using my own method, and that home-row shit slowed me down immensely.